


How Archie Andrews Changed the World in Ten Years

by MrToddWilkins (orphan_account)



Category: Archie Comics & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1980s, Alternate Universe - 1990s, Cold War, Congresswoman Sierra McCoy, Earlier German Reunification, Earlier Gulf War, Eventual President Archie Andrews, F/M, Hiram Lodge is mayor of Riverdale, Kevin’s in kindergarten when this story begins, Late ‘80s Politics, May become a crossover, No southside serpents, Remove Kebab, Russian reusable rockets, Sabrina is not a witch, Shrill needs more fandom love, Slice of Life, Sweet Valley High References, Vignettes, Wordcount: 50.000-100.000, and she’d totally be at home in the late ‘80s, tughead - Freeform, yes Toni went to school in the ‘80s
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-06-29 12:31:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15729447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/MrToddWilkins
Summary: Archie’s madcap odyssey





	1. Energia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a prototype of the Archie story I’m sure everybody wants to write:a story about the gang’s future years. 
> 
> Here’s what you need to know:
> 
> It’s based on comic book canon,but most people who have featured on Riverdale look like their TV counterparts.
> 
> This story takes place from December 1986 to February 1997,plus a distant epilogue taking place in January 2017. It will have at least 90 chapters. Once I’m done with it,I will make it a series and start writing the sequel,which will cover from March 1997 to an as yet undetermined date.
> 
> The date at the beginning of each chapter is the date the chapter takes place.

12/15/1986

 _One moment it was winter,and the next moment it was spring -_ Gerald Aubrey, BBC

Like a primeval monster from the depths of hell,the great rocket roared to life. It turned the night to a new day as it began its climb above the naked plains of the Kazakh SSR,and began to turn northeast in its climb for orbit. From the safety of the viewing bleachers a few miles away, nearly a thousand spectators watched it herald sunrise two hours early. 

 _Surely we see here nothing less than Prometheus himself,returning the fire to heaven_ ,thought one of the older,and more celebrated,watchers. Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin,the first man in space,remembered that historic day more than 25 years ago now when he had boarded Vostok 1 and begun his famous journey into outer space.

————-

5,200 miles away,a young man with hair the color of fire watched a TV screen depicting the rocket’s ascent. It was 18 miles high when its booster rockets separated.

A few minutes later,the young man turned a pair of switches engineered by a friend of his. These switches activated a relay in the rocket’s onboard computer that tripped its gyroscopes. As a result,the rocket flipped over a full 360 degrees and was unable to reorient itself in space for its planned orbital insertion burn.

As the rocket headed for a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific,the young man called another friend of his. “I’ve done it,Jug!”

That young man’s name? Archie Andrews.


	2. Six Months to Graduation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italicized bits are Tolkien dialogue and the Mad World lyrics

12/16/1986

For Archie,the next day began with homeroom and study hall,supervised,or rather presided over,by Mr.Martell. This constituted two class periods,but Archie could afford to read or socialize since his grades were some of the highest in his class. He had English class next,taught by Mr.Tyrell,who had hated Mr.Martell since he accidentally injured Mr.Tyrell’s son in a basketball game in ‘81. 

Today,Mr.Tyrell was trying to interest 44 kids in  _The Lord of the Rings_. He stood before the class,reciting dramatically.

” _Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury_  
_of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins,_  
_and he was borne up on Snowmane_  
_like a god of old, even as Orome the Great_  
_in the battle of the Valar when the world was young._  
_His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone_  
_like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green_  
_about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning_  
_and a wind from the sea; and darkness was removed,_  
_and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them,_  
_and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them._  
_And then all the host of Rohan burst into song,_  
_and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them,_  
_and the sound of their singing_  
_that was fair and terrible came even to the City._ ”

”Now doesn’t that sound exciting? The heroic cavalry charge of the Rohirrim as they came to Gondor’s defense,singing their war songs at the top of their lungs?”

Reggie yawned and looked at the clock as Archie scribbled in a notebook.

————

Later on,Betty came up to Archie in the hallway.

”So,do you have a song for the Christmas dance?”

”Yeah.”

They went into the music room. Archie began singing.

 “ _All around me are familiar faces_  
_Worn out places, worn out faces_  
_Bright and early for their daily races_  
_Going nowhere, going nowhere_

 _Their tears are filling up their glasses_  
_No expression, no expression_  
_Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow_  
_No tomorrow, no tomorrow_

 _And I find it kinda funny_  
_I find it kinda sad_  
_The dreams in which I'm dying_  
_Are the best I've ever had_

 _I find it hard to tell you_  
_I find it hard to take_  
_When people run in circles_  
_It's a very, very mad world, mad world_

 _Children waiting for the day they feel good_  
_Happy Birthday,_  
_Made to feel the way that every child should_  
_Sit and listen,_

 _Went to school and I was very nervous_  
_No one knew me, no one knew me_  
_Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson_  
_Look right through me, look right through me_

 _And I find it kinda funny_  
_I find it kinda sad_  
_The dreams in which I'm dying_  
_Are the best I've ever had_  
_I find it hard to tell you_  
_I find it hard to take_  
_When people run in circles_  
_It's a very, very mad world_  
_Mad world, mad world_  
_Mad world.”_

Betty couldn’t help smiling. “That’s a very good song,Archie. Now how about a kiss?”

Archie obliged.


End file.
